The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has honored President Bola Tinubu with the award of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), the second highest national honor, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives based on the constitutional status of the House of Representatives. He praised him for correcting his mistake.
Tinubu, in his Independence Day address to Nigerians on Tuesday, October 1, presented the National Honor of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the GCON to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, the National Medal of Honor. announced that it would be awarded. , and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere Ekun.
However, the House of Representatives on Wednesday, on a motion by Chief Justice John Johnson, said that the Speaker of the House of Representatives (APC, Benue State) and 249 other members should have the same status as the President of the Senate in the awarding of National Honors. He called on the president to right the wrongs of the past.
Over the years, the House of Representatives has received not only national honors but also in some quarters where some Nigerians referred to it as the “House of Commons” even though the constitution provides for both houses of the National Assembly. He denounced discrimination. It’s the same pedestal.
Following the House of Representatives resolution, President Tinubu on Friday night, through his Special Assistant on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced the retraction of his remarks and bestowed the title of GCON on the Speaker.
Reacting to the development, Speaker Abbas in a statement issued on Saturday evening through his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, said President Tinubu had shown good leadership in his actions.
“I thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the GCFR for righting the wrongs of past administrations in not following the constitutional recognition of the House of Representatives. He once again demonstrated the quality of democracy as a leader who leans in.
“With this development, Nigeria, and indeed the world, has learned that the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has the same status as its sister House, the Senate, and is treated as such.
“I thank the President for listening to the voices of reason from the House of Representatives and other well-meaning Nigerians,” the Speaker said.
Speaker Abbas similarly congratulated the 10th House of Representatives “for this historic achievement.”
He thanked his colleagues for standing up against years of discrimination in the House of Commons, saying their efforts had helped redress it.
